Down and Out
by G. V. HornBeck
Summary: Out of the house, she grabs the keys, runs for the hills and doesn't leave a letter. That way the impact will be much better. Away from the man that she's grown so fearful of.
1. Part I:Chapter 1

"Talking" _Thinking _Normal Words

Down and Out

Chapter 1

11/8/07

"I'm the narrator and this is just a prologue."-_Panic! At the Disco_

* * *

The hallway was narrow and congested. Her small body hugged the jack-o-lantern covered locker door while she tried to hurry to her next class. Soft whispers of, "Sorry," and, "Excuse me," escaped pale lips as bodies came rushing by, bumping and jostling her petite frame. Halting her passage, light lavender eyes turned towards the crowd of teenagers, looking for a quicker route. Seeing a break in the river of students, she hesitantly took a step forward. Suddenly the large body of a male upperclassman sent her flying into the wall as he pushed past her, fleeing from a friend.

"Watch it!" he called over his shoulder, weaving his way through the mass of peers.

"Sorry," the girl whispered again, pushing herself up straight. Sighing, she moved her gaze to the floor as she once more began her trek along the wall. Again and again random people knocked her shoulders and hit her hands, causing soft apologies inaudible within the hubbub of passing period.

Normal girls would be chatting with friends, yelling to be heard over the background, or attached to the hips of a boyfriend, spending every moment possible with him. But not Hinata, not shy little Hinata. She was always the quiet one, the timid one, even at her old private school. She had never been the type to talk out of turn or force her opinions down the throats of others. She believed she had only made friends before because she was the one you could whine to no matter what. But that didn't matter anymore. The old days of elementary and middle school were over, and the friends whose silent shadow she had once been were now just familiar strangers she might spot in the hallways or in class.

Back pressed uncomfortably against a locker and tiny handmade book bag in hand, Hinata waited for the warning bell. A few minutes afterward, it rang through the halls and the sound of fast footfalls and people pushing past each other nearly drowned out the hollered multitudes of, "Goodbye," and, "See you later." When the white washed hallway was finally empty except for a few slackers, Hinata peeled herself from the wall and bolted for her next class, bag bouncing against her legs, praying that she wouldn't be late.

* * *

Hinata hated Home Ec. It wasn't that she didn't like the teacher. In fact, with his black bowl cut, huge bushy eyebrows hiding large twinkling eyes, and ever-present pink apron that was as vivid as his vivacious personality, Hinata fairly enjoyed Gai-sensei. Nor was it that she did badly in the class. On the contrary, since she usually did the housekeeping at home, she was passing with ease. The reason the girl hated her class was that there were exactly twenty-two people in the class and only half as many work spaces. Moreover, since Hinata was usually the last person to get in, she was continually stuck with the lazy moocher that no one wanted. However, that day was different.

That day Ino Yamanaka, a girl from Hinata's previous school, was late coming back from an appointment. She and Hinata had gotten along before and she was one of the few people Hinata had called a true friend. Yet Ino changed since the time they began school nearly four months prior. Popularity hit the girl like a freight train. Gone was the caring, spunky, blonde haired spaz and in her place was the sculpture of a perfectly preppy Barbie; artist: High School. Ino had become pompous, rude, and a few other words Hinata could only blush at. But despite all of that, that day, Ino was Hinata's partner.

"Ugh, you are such a loser," Ino moaned into her hand for the umpteenth time. She had been watching Hinata gather ingredients with tremulous hands for nearly half an hour. Each time Hinata dropped an object, Ino would react as if she had fallen in the middle of the class. "Can't you do anything right?"

Hinata continued on as if she hadn't heard, though she had. She'd heard everything Ino said so far, but tried to pay it no mind. She was used to verbal abuse. Though her self-esteem was as fragile as a newborn chick, the wall she had built against insults was constructed from fortified steel. However, Ino's comments were hot; rolling off her tongue like magma, and Hinata's barrier couldn't take much more.

"Two cups of flour," Hinata murmured beneath her breath while pouring the designated amount.

"What was that?" Ino demanded, glaring at the girl as if she'd affronted her. Ino watched with growing satisfaction as Hinata's eyes grew wide and as her hands trembled violently. She knew the petite teenager didn't even know how to form an insult; however she loved to watch Hinata squirm. "Did you just talk back to me you little twit?" she morphed the look upon her face to that of utter distaste.

"N-no," Hinata stuttered. The flour in her hands shifted constantly as her body shook.

"You better not have," Ino sneered. Standing, she took a step towards the smaller teen-

-And the flour dropped.

At the sound of shattering glass, their classmates' attention was directed to the pair. A white cloud hovered around them as they stood as still as a mid-evil painting; Hinata, the quivering peasant, and Ino, the raging demon.

"You bitch!" Ino screamed, splintering the silence.

"I-I'm sor-" A sharp slap reverberated off the walls in the otherwise muted room. Deep pink showed through where the four on Hinata's face had been struck off and where her pain filled tears made tracks.

"Look what you did!" Despite the injured look on Hinata's face, Ino's anger was unfazed. "All you ever do is get in the way!" she yelled, panting from the onslaught of emotions. "Get out of here! I don't ever want to see your ugly face again!" bringing back her hand Ino made to strike the smaller girl once more, but was stopped.

"Yamanaka-san, that is quite enough," Gai-sensei intervened, grabbing the girl's arm. "Hyuuga-san, maybe-" he began, but Hinata was gone.

* * *

Wringing the excess water from the paper towel, Hinata scrubbed the white substance off her body. Soft sobs echoed against the empty walls as she failed to hold back the tears.

Finishing up, Hinata wiped her eyes and peaked out of the bathroom. The hallways were deserted, as class was still in session, but the security guards were still keeping watch. _I should go back but- but I don't want to_, she thought. Quickly glancing around, she noticed an exit not ten from where she stood and made her decision. After checking to make sure it was all clear, Hinata carefully stepped out of the cold building and into the warm sun. Her exit was near the athletic fields, so in a spur of the moment choice, she chose to sit in the shadow of the smaller set of bleachers.

Turning her gaze to the sky, Hinata's light lavender eyes lazily watched the clouds drifting above and drowsiness washed over her being as the morning's events settled in. _Father is not going to be happy._ The thought did little to sober Hinata as her eyes slowly began to slide shut. _Hmm…that one kind of looks like a puppy. Cute._

* * *

**A.N. **_TAG!_ Oh my goodness! The joy! I honestly never imagined I'd ever get this up. I'm so happy! So, um, things I may need to clear up. Everyone in Hinata's age group is freshman in high school so they're 14. Lee and others his age are juniors, so they're around 17. Also I am a very slow typer so don't hold your breath on the next chapter being out real soon. I should bee out within the next two weeks, but… Hmm, that's all I can think of so if you have any questions e-mail them to me and I'll try and answer them.

Ok! If fact, there is a random noun in this chapter from **Aine of Knockaine** who was the first to review for my Trigun oneshot. So good luck!_Tschuess!_

**P.S. **Thanks a ton to my friends Amax and Philip for putting up with me and this story. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Also sorry about the cussing in this chapter. I don't like cussing so it won't happen much, but it was the best thing to get the feeling across.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot. I mean, come on. I'm as poor as a church mouse.

**Edit:** Ok. I updated this and fixed some things. Chapter two will be up in the next day or two.


	2. Part I:Chapter 2

Normal Words

"Talking."

_Thinking_

Chapter 2

11/26/08

"It reminded her of an unpopular child, forlorn and bewildered, powerless to alter its fate. No one liked it. Head down. Hands in pockets. Forever. Amen."-_The Book Thief_

* * *

The sound of a car horn ripped through the air. Jerked from her slumber, Hinata sprang to her feet and quickly hid behind one of the bleacher's support beams in an attempt to hide from her imaginary attacker. In her frightened state she was unaware of her surroundings, but as her heart came down from its rabbit like pace and the adrenaline rush faded from her body, she began to notice that things were different than they had been a moment ago. The parking lot had come alive in the blink of her eyes. Spastic girls ran about, shrieking like banshees while drivers swore profusely, repeatedly striking their dashboards. The scene practically screamed its ominous fact. School was out.

_No! _Hinata thought whirling about, frantically searching for something, anything to state otherwise. Throwing open her book bag, she hunted for the one item that could prove her assumption was wrong; her cell phone. When Hinata's hand finally skimmed cool plastic, she quickly grasped the cell and tore it from inside the bag. With trembling fingers and bated breath, she anxiously switched the contraption on. A few moments later, the bright screen condemned her fate.

"3:15," she breathed. _No, no, no!_ Bile rose within Hinata's throat, burning its walls while she fought back exasperated tears. _I missed all of my classes! How could I let this happen? I'll get a major and Father will-Father will… _A sob escaped her pale lips as she imagined the possibilities.

"Hyuuga-san."

Like a startled hare, Hinata jumped, ramming her head against a metal cross bar. Grasping her throbbing skull, she looked towards the person who addressed her. "Gai-s-sensei?"

"The one and only!" the teacher exclaimed, squaring his feet and striking a "good guy" pose. However, one look at the shocked girl at his feet and he quickly dropped it. "Oh, you poor thing," Gai crooned. Bending down, he lifted Hinata to her feet and promptly began pulling her to the school. "To the nurse we must go! Injuries shall not hinder your springtime of youth under my watch!" The man then glanced back at his student with an almost serious look on his face. "Also, we must talk about what happened today; both in my classroom and afterwards. Perhaps I should call your 'parental authorities'?" Gai's suggestion wrenched Hinata out of her silent stupor.

"No!" she gasped. Stopping, she gathered what little confidence she had to convince her teacher not to call her father. Her house was enough of a problem without adding any more from school. However, despite the small spark of determination budding within Hinata, the momentum of her teacher jerked her off balance, sending her to the ground with great flamboyance. A loud thud was the greeting she received when her face became acquainted with the ground. Nevertheless, the ever oblivious Gai took no notice and continued to drag her inside.

"No, I believe you are right. Skipping class is not a big enough reason to call again," Gai stated, waving off the subject.

Pulling herself from the pavement and struggling to regain her footing, Hinata almost didn't register the stinging pain in her hands and knees. The sharp fear clawing at her stomach completely overshadowed any other piece of information her brain was attempting to process. The knowledge that Gai had already called her father once was as absolute as an execution notice.

_Father will kill me._

* * *

"Now, Hyuuga-san," Gai began, turning to his young student.

A fierce blush rose on the girl's cheeks, for not only was she the center of someone's attention, but she also looked quite comical. The nurse had already left school and so Gai had taken it upon himself to play pediatrician. To make a long story short, it was somewhat obvious why he wouldn't make it in medical school. Despite Hinata's desperate, if not slightly inaudible, assurances that it was "j-just a b-bump", Gai had gone all out in his attempt to heal her. White bandages capped the crown of Hinata's head and even covered one of her eyes.

"Hinata-san, we must address what happened this morning." Gai continued, opting to use Hinata's first name to seen more personal and comforting. Gazing down at the small teen, he appeared to take her slight nod as one of understanding. "Your actions were very wrong. It saddens me so to think of a flame being tainted enough to commit such a crime." A slight tear slipped past his long eyelashes. With a histrionic swipe, he wiped it away, relishing in his moment. "And think of your younger sister. Such promise she has. One can only hope that your darkness will not corrupt her sun-like fire." A sob- sigh escaped Gai as he gazed at nothing, seemingly weighted by the possibilities his mind had conjured.

"Pa-pardon?" Hinata couldn't believe it. He thought it was her fault! "I-I, I do n-not believe I und-derstand s-sensai," she stuttered, all the while silently cursing herself for sounding so weak.

"Hmm?" Gai snapped out of his daze and turned back to his forgotten student.

"I-I d-do not know w-what y-you're talk-king about," Hinata reiterated quickly, dropping he stare to the floor. Despite her wish to defend herself against Gai's accusations, she couldn't gather the courage to even look him in the eye.

"Your behavior towards Yamanaka-san today and before," he said as if speaking to a small child. "She told me what's been happening between the two of you."

"W-what d-d-did she-e s-say?" Apprehension and dread boiled in Hinata's body setting her nerves aflame as she waited for her teachers answer. But she had an idea of what Ino had said, and of what would happen, what always happened. She was once again the scapegoat for the monster. However, it wasn't what the school might do to her that made Hinata wish the world would just open up and swallow her whole. No, what the school did was no more than icing on the cake of wreckage that was coming her way.

"She said," Gai started while setting a chair across from Hinata and forcing his face into a comically stern look. "She said that the whole incident this morning was not an accident. She told me that you dropped the flour on her purposely and she only slapped you because she couldn't take your attitude any longer.

"She also said that this wasn't the first time you harassed her. Hinata-san, she told me that ever since she began having companions other than you in her springtime of youth, you have bullied her to a scary point."

Hinata could barely hear Gai over the pounding in her ears. Her breath came out in heavy pants and cold sweat drenched the back of her neck. _This can't be happening; not again._

"Hinata-san, little Hinata-san," Gai's eyes began to shine like stars and, if not for the terror that enveloped Hinata, she would have sensed doom as she looked into those eyes. "I will assign you two full weeks of detention! Also, you are to attend therapy with me until this problem goes away." A look of enlightenment suddenly adorned Gai's features. "Ah! Maybe if you're lucky, Lee-chan will come and help out! You've heard of my charge, haven't you?"

A tremor ran down Hinata's spine. She had heard of the infamous Rock Lee. The junior in high school was well known in all of the schools in town. Armed with his bowl cut of truth and ever-present green scarf of justice, he was the spitting image of Gai. But that wasn't what he was known for. It was the recognized scientific fact that no matter where you were in the school, you could hear Lee's shouts of "the springtime of youth!", that made Lee a notorious in his peers' eyes.

"B-b-b…" Hinata nearly fainted at the thought. Her in the same room as Rock Lee? She'd loose her ears!

"Oh, you're speechless from the joy of it all!" Gai squealed, jumping about like a school girl.

* * *

"Well, I believe it's time for you to go," Gai proclaimed several minuets later and after he had tripped over a chair. "Do you need a ride?"

"N-no," Hinata replied. She wished to prolong the inevitable as much as she could.

"All right. Remember to be here at the bright and early hour of 7 a.m. We shall immediately commence in the reformation of your flame of youth!"

"Y-yes sir," Hinata replied more to herself that to her teacher. As she exited the room, she carefully slipped off her bandages and placed them in the trash. Then slowly and silently she trudged through the deserted hallways and out into the parking lot once more.

The sensations of autumn burst around her, but she didn't notice any of it. A frigid breeze rushed past Hinata, biting at her skin as the October sky ran red in its sunset. Pulling her coat tighter to her petite frame, Hinata's soft, tremulous steps headed towards her house, knowing full well what was waiting for her and hating it.

* * *

**A.N.:** Soooo, I lied. Last time, when I put up the edited version of the last chapter, I said this would be up in 2 to 3 days. It's been 2 to 3 weeks. Sorry.

ANYway, I'm working on setting aside time to work on this and other little side things. I'm aiming for a chapter a week. I can't promise anything, but I can try. As always, please tell me how I'm doing. I would really like some feedback on how I portrayed Gai. It's hard to make him serious and funny at the same time.

**Disclaimer:**It has taken me about a year to get up the second chapter of this fic. Do you really think I could chug out a chapter of _Naruto_ EVERY WEEK?

Please review. They give me happies.


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